Life After Death
by M. Elizabeth Ravensblood
Summary: When Sam kills Jack, she is haunted by his memory, but finds consolation in a small gift he left behind.


Author's Notes: This was part of a LiveJournal Challege, I love Jack and Sam as a couple and the challenge is why this doesn't have a typical skewed ending. Don't worry, it's a one time deal, I love Jack/Samantha together. Also check out my homepage for my livejournal with a bunch of Skewed Romantic wallpapers.

_Feels good. Doesn't it?_ Over and over the words echoed in Samantha's mind. Jack's final words to her and the words that haunted her.

While she had been with Jack, he had shot a homeless man in front of her and then he'd laid down the gun. Angered and upset, Sam had picked the gun up and turned it on Jack.

He'd looked at her without fear and mocked, "Now this is interesting."

Several times Sam pulled the trigger point blank and nothing happened, there weren't bullets. Scared of what Jack would do and scared of herself that she had pulled the trigger, she had started to shake and cry. Insidious and seductive, Jack took the gun from her and purred in her ear. About how she'd never been more alive than at that moment and he fired the gun, she'd been one click of the chamber away from killing him.

The feeling of power Jack described soared through her and terrified her. Looking at Jack she could finally see herself in his eyes and it frightened her even more. Sam should have turned away in disgust, but she didn't. For the first time Jack's killings swam through her mind, and rather than feel disgust and grudging admiration for his brilliance, she saw the love behind them. The sensation of power was heady. Jack considered himself a god, yet for her and her alone he had made offerings and been a supplicant.

Behind her Jack stood so closely, she could feel the warmth of his breath on the back of her neck and could smell the faint scent of tabacco mingling with roses and sandalwood. Slowly she turned around and their eyes met and their gaze froze. Sapphire met amber as their courtship continued in silent communion. Time seemed frozen and Sam felt outside of reality as their lips met in their first kiss and sealed the marriage of their minds.

In that moment she was his bride, more surely than if they had said vows before a minister. Neither said anything as Jack lifted her up without breaking contact with her mouth. Beyond time and reality, Sam clung to Jack as he carried her into the mock apartment and lowered her on the bed. Foreplay was moot as they undressed one another. Seven years of their mental dance was more than enough foreplay. This was a consummation of their marriage and after years of waiting both were more than ready.

As Jack slowly pushed into Sam, her world fell away completely. Samantha was in Jack's world and she was reveling in it as they mated. For several hours they climbed higher and higher together. Years of unfulfilled desires kept Jack readily aroused and hard from one climax to the next. Sometime into the second hour of their coupling, Samantha shed tears as Jack tore down walls that she'd struggled to keep around her heart for so long. Even though it would probably destroy them both, she loved him every bit as much as he loved her.

When their passion had subsided for at least a little while, Jack began to try and find the perfect first kill for Samantha. Although later the VCTF would believe she had chosen Thomas Cole because he was under surveillance, she had chosen him simply because she hadn't liked his looks. Slovenly and ugly, Thomas was the antithesis of Jack's handsome countenance. At the school when Jack sat up the rope to hang Thomas with, Samantha panicked and had trouble going through with it. When Jack helped her by pushing the chair, she'd felt a surge of confidence and desire, but fought to get a chair under Thomas when she heard the VCTF approach.

Samantha said she was glad to be away from Jack, she pretended she was repulsed that he had started killing following his original pattern again. Since leaving Jack's company she felt hollow and empty. Everything felt surreal and she felt lost. Chloe was giving her a rough time so she sent her to see a therapist. As hollow as she felt she couldn't play good mommy, not right now.

One session when Samantha went to pick up Chloe, she discovered her daughter was missing and immediately knew it was Jack. Knowing he wanted her by his side and knowing he was likely trying to drive a further wedge in her relationship with her daughter she knew he would take her to Tom's grave. _What better way to alienate her daughters affections?_

As she expected Jack was with Chloe at Tom's grave and she talked Chloe into going to the car. Uncertain of what to do or who she was anymore, Samantha looked at Jack.

"Now you have no one but me," Jack told her and smiled.

"No. You have no one," Samantha responded flipply.

Her words were a lie. They both knew better as they looked at one another. Jack was all Samantha had ever had or ever would have. He was the only one that had ever looked into the abyss of her soul and seen her for who she really was. Part of her wanted to throw herself in his arms, she needed time to think. But there wasn't time, sirens were screaming closer and closer.

"I won't let them keep us apart," Jack murmurred.

Samantha raised her gun and even as she aimed she saw triumph in Jack's eyes, but it was too late to stop. Her finger pulled the trigger and he fell to the ground.

Looking up at his love, Jack smiled faintly as he spoke his final words, "Feels good. Doesn't it?"

His fingers clutched for the rose beside him and Jack's eyes closed as he died. Samantha stared at him in disbelief and her eyes filled with tears. Bailey and Grant appraached with Rachel trailing behind them. Grant checked Jack's pulse.

"He's dead."

_No!_ Samantha's heart screamed.

"I saw him move on you," Bailey assured her as he took her gun from her.

_Liar! He took one step towards me and I murdered him in cold blood. I killed Jack. God no! Please. Please let this be a nightmare!_ Samantha's heart begged as she walked towards her car.

For several days Samantha existed on auto-pilot as she tried to pretend life was normal. By day she could hear Jack whispering in her ear and by night she had nightmares about killing him. Officially she quit the VCTF because she wanted to be with her daughter. Actually Samantha could care less about Chloe and left her with Angel. Quietly she disappeared from their lives.

Only one dim hope made Samantha continue breathing and every day she would stare at the calender with bated breath, hoping. When she had been with Jack and they had made love, they hadn't used protection and she had been at the pinnacle of her fertility window. Every night Samantha prayed, she realized ironically to Jack rather than God for a small piece of him to find life within her.

For eighteen years, Samantha struggled with her guilt and prayed to Jack for guidance. In her mind he spoke constantly and she welcomed his input in raising their child. From the first moment she discovered she was pregnant Samantha loved their child. As much as she neglected Chloe, she poured her love and care into their son. Eighteen years of lessons just like Jack had given her and she knew their son had become a man Jack would have been proud of.

Placing the gun into his hand, Samantha kissed her son's cheek, saying, "It's time, Jack. Your father would be so proud of you. I've taught you everything you need to know."

At last she had become a goddess worthy of Jack, having taken many lives and most importantly restored one.

Jack raised the gun and told his mother, "I love you."

The gun fired and she fell to the ground.

"Feels good. Doesn't it?" Samantha smiled at her son.

A moment later, he crossed her hands on her chest and placed the rose in her hands, just like she'd taught him. Although he would miss her, Jack was happy that his mother would be reunited with his father. And soon the world would see that Jack-Of-All-Trades was alive once again...


End file.
